T W O Sweetness in the Air

The bucket hobbled against her body and kept snagging at her robe but she could care less. It was hot, dry, and she desperately needed to fetch some chilled water.

Qian frolicked and twirled amongst the last of the falling leaves, a sign that the cold of winter would soon fast approach.

And she couldn’t wait.

Although Qian feared the cold, she enjoyed watching the snowflakes cascade down from the heavens for it was a magical sight. She admired the barren trees that stood high and proud, in the storm. It was a quiet reminder that despite the deathly chill of winter, there was still beauty and hope, and the flowers would one day bloom again. 

The leaves danced from the highest tree tops and fell swiftly to the ground, some tangling in her loose locks. As she combed through her hair and undid her braid with her fingers, a red handkerchief, accompanied by a fresh scent of musk lilies, suddenly flew into her face.

“What in the world?” She asked as she peeled it off her cheeks.

The handkerchief was soft like rich silk, and with every caress, an inviting fragrance kissed the air around her. It smelled just like the emerald valleys by the Qingdao harbour – of fresh grass and sweet flowers. A fine gold trim laced around the edges and matched the embroidered phoenix on the front. On the back, a quote was sewn in old Chinese script.  It read ‘I rather bend than break’ with the initial ㄱ (K).

“Interesting…” She thought, although a bit melodramatic.

Her thumbs graced across the silk as she thought about how wealthy the owner must be to lose such a possession and not come looking for it. It was rather strange because Qian didn't know anybody from Jinan who could afford such luxury, especially not during times like this when food and other goods were rationed off to help feed the country's military. Moreover, it was suspicious for someone with that kind of rank to be loitering around the woods like this... 

Glancing up from the handkerchief, she carefully scanned her surroundings and noticed nothing out of the ordinary on the path. Branches rustled from above and small animals scurried off, but no trace of people walking by. Still, she decided it was best to keep her guard up in case anything happens. 

Qian couldn't help it but she pondered about how much money she could make if she pawned the item, but for some reason, she felt compelled to keep it. Qian always knew that she had strange attachments to inanimate objects but a new fluttering feeling grew inside her heart and her stomach danced with butterflies – it was different this time. Perhaps it was the fragrance that reminded her so much of home, or the softness of the cloth that reminded her of her father’s embrace. Whatever it was, she shrugged it off and shoved the handkerchief into her dress pocket.

As she continued along her way, the quote looped in her mind and she suddenly felt a longing for something she couldn’t quite put a finger on. Her arms suddenly felt heavy and she let the bucket drag as she wondered who the last owner was.

 “Since you’ve come to me as a gift from my second home, I guess I’ll keep you.”  

. . .

At the riverbank, Qian flung the bucket onto the gravel as it landed with a great thud and nearly missed the tip of her toes. Startled, Qian hesitated for a moment before she knelt down again and pulled up her sleeves. A tiny shriek escaped her parted lips as the chill of the river invigorated her submerged hands. Small pebbles whirled through the rushing waters as she waved her fingers before she took a handful and drank from it. With her thirst satisfied, she dipped the bucket into the river and heaved it out. Cold water sloshed from the pail to the gravel, the water drenching her right foot.

Annoyed, Qian lets out a groan before bending over on one leg to drain the water out from her boots. She shook her foot frantically in attempt to dry them and at that very moment, she swore she heard a man’s light chuckle not far away.

Suddenly, she felt watched.

She scanned the dense forest beyond the river but was unable to locate the pair of eyes she felt glued to her. Distracted, she peered over to the other side of the riverbank where a pair of children frolicked their feet in the river as their mother fetched water nearby. She watched as the girls held onto the hem of their dresses and kicked water into the air, then watched them as they ran to avoid the falling droplets. Qian smiled as Liyun rolled into her memories.

“Qian jie jie! You have to be careful! If I was a step too late, you would have been swept away by the currents!”

“Thanks for getting me out of there, Yiyun.”

“You’ve always hated swimming.” She laughed.

Flinging her hands dry, Qian extended her arms into the sky and gave her hips a quick stretch as she pivoted left and right. She closed her eyes and listened to the birds chirping in the distance and the rustle of the leaves shaking in the breeze. Whoever or whatever that was watching her just moments ago seem to have fled the scene.

She was relieved. Nothing changed since the last time Qian had ventured into the woods. Just last week, she had caught a pair of mallards and a grey rabbit with ease. She peered over to a family of ducks who waddled by the playing children – the exact same spot at where her arrow had fired.

“Animals are such strange creatures,” Qian thought to herself.

. . .

When Qian finally returned to the village, almost a quarter of the water from her pail had spilled out along her trek down the mountain. She stared with complete disbelief as she wiped away a tear of sweat from her temples. Although there was still enough fresh drinking water to supply Qian and her mother for the next few days, Qian couldn’t help but self for wasting. Still, it was better than having to wait long hours in the scorching Jinan heat to retrieve water from the village well. As she walked by the line of waiting villagers, a mischievous smile formed on her face as she stuck out her tongue playfully at the young boy who scrunched his nose at her.

Qian knew she had a playful spirit but her mother knew she was a hard working girl who wasn’t afraid of manual labour. Skilled in archery and swordsmanship, she was a warrior princess – young girls wanted to be just like her while no men dared to . She had a long line of bachelors who asked for her hand in marriage but all lost in duels challenged by Qian herself.

“You can’t protect me with those skills” she would say to them.

She was famed amongst the villagers as a daredevil who could tumble, twist, and jump through land and air. Danger seemed to be no match for her flying kicks and flexibility.

On days when she didn’t hunt, Qian would stroll through the marketplace for treats, shows, and doing the odd job.

“Thank you so much, Qian!” exclaimed old man Kang. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be hauling this until sundown!”

Qian gleamed happily as she pat her face dry with the back of her hand. “That should be the last of it, and it was my pleasure!”

Jars upon jars of weird concoctions lined up the shelves of the old man’s herbal store. She shivered as jars of preserved snakes and other small reptiles floated in the amber mix. More weird things were placed here and there on top of the counters, each with a different scent and colour.

“Looks a bit unappetizing, right?” old man Kang laughed. “This is my collection of herbal wines, mixtures, and ointments. I collect different herbs from the mountain; they can remedy all kinds of illnesses!” 

As Qian hauled the pail of water, she walked by and waved to old man Kang who was busily moving beads on his abacus. Also from Qingdao, he had been a good friend of her father’s. While Qian’s father hunted, old man Kang would scavenge for herbs. He had passed along a lot of medicinal knowledge and remedies to her father and because of this, Qian knew a few tricks herself.

She shuddered at the sight of the floating serpents. She always hated snakes. 

Qian continued to weave through the crowded street, being careful not to spill anymore water as she trudged her way home.

As she pushed through the doors and heaved the bucket in, a delicious smell warmed her nose and excited her palate. 

“Oh, you’re home just in time!” her mother beamed. “I’m making some pork soup for tonight’s dinner and needed an extra cup of water."

Qian hobbled over to the kitchen, set the bucket by the pantry, and took in a whiff of her mother’s tasty soup. Her mother looked up from the boiling pot and watched as her daughter set the bucket of water by the wood stove and a faint smile appeared on her face. Before Qian turned to head for the door, she reached for her hand. 

"You smell really lovely!" She exclaimed. "Did you buy a fragrance satchet at the market earlier?" 

Qian blinked back some confusion before she realized her mother must've smelled the sweet scent from the silk handkerchief. "It's nothing." She replied, albeit a bit flustered. Trying to avoid further conversation, she pushed the handkerchief deeper into her dress pocket and tiptoed off. 

"Buy me some onions and vegetables at the market, will you?” Her mother called. 

Qian didn't exactly know why but when she pushed through the front doors and came into view with the outside light, she felt a bit relieved. Her mother had just asked her a normal question but what was it that made her unable to answer, just standing there like a deer in headlights? Was it because she didn't want her mother to question the origin of the handkerchief? 

She pulled the stupid thing out and shook it in the air, the fragrance stronger than before.

'I rather bend than break.' 

"Stupid thing." She muttered. 

. . . 

Qian swayed her arms side to side and whistled a cheerful tune as she strolled along Jinan’s marketplace. The afternoon sun shone brightly in the October sky and there was not a cloud in sight. Without the cool breezes from the harbour, autumn season in Jinan were much drier and hotter than Qingdao. Jinan may not have a strip of sandy beaches or fresh ocean water to watch the boats sail, but havens of warm and cozy hot springs surround the village. Sometimes, Qian would blame the hot springs for heating up the village even more – “as if Jinan wasn’t like an oven already! It was fall for heaven’s sake! Weren’t temperatures supposed to cool down?”

Qian fanned herself and brushed damp strands away from her face as she bagged up the vegetables for her mother’s soup. Over in the next stall, a woman was steaming a large pan of dim sum. Buns, dumplings, tarts, and Qian’s favourite chicken feet sat in the hot plate, taunting her.  Her mother was preparing for supper already but Qian thought a light snack couldn’t hurt.

“That’ll be two coins.” The woman said.

Qian happily placed the coins into the woman’s extended palm before reaching over to grab the plate of steaming braised chicken feet that she had just ordered.  Taking a whiff, her lips curled with appetite and sat herself by the nearby bench to enjoy her snack.   

“How in the world do you like eating that?” Yiyun asked.

“But it’s delicious! You should try it!”

Qian giggled and watched as her friend bite down on her sweet custard bun and leaned back, shaking her head in fear her friend would shove a piece into .

“No thanks – I’ll stick with my bun. Feet are gross.”

Qian is abruptly pulled back from her memories when a group of young boys brush behind her, running toward a crowd of loud villagers who huddled by a bulletin board. She looked over with curiosity and watched as a group of royal officials disperse from the market square, leaving the commotion.

“I wonder what’s going on.” She said aloud.

“Oh, that does not look good!” A lady added, her voice trailing off.

“That does not look good at all…”

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Sorry for being MIA, everyone! I will update frequently from now on ~

- KAYVEE